current music: Stars - Hungry Young Poets

**WARNING**
Super Bangang/Senti Post Ahead
Turn Back Now!

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Ganito kasi yun.

I had a short talk last night with Jihan regarding The Little Prince. I find that the story is rich and resonant, no matter how old or young you are. Like Mela once told me, it's the sort of book you ought to read every four or so years, just to remind you of what's there.

I decided to reread it this morning, while waiting for class. Yes, I almost cried. The only thing that kept me from sobbing was the fact that I was surrounded by so many people in the CTC CompLab.

It was no different from the day Mark Yebra endorsed the book. The familiar feelings were there, all over again, even though they weren't for the same people.

Yes, it was like 3rd year high school over again, sobbing over a sad, sad evening, featuring, ironically, a person in red who would be the first real rose of them all.

So, to the roses, past and present, I love you.
To the foxes, it is for you I still choose to live and keep on striving. Thank you.

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Here's a short summary of the reflections I've come up with. Many of them are from Sir Niel as relayed to me by Jihan. Many others, I stumbled onto. I will not say it's the best, comprehensive guide to it, and if you've not read it, turn back because you might complain I'm spoiling the story. Rest assured, the magic is in the book and how it's written, so even if you do read this, you won't miss out.


The Little Prince - Everybody, at least once in their life is like the Prince. Everybody has that child-like quality of seeing what's invisible. In our lives, we all love as selflessly as the Prince, at one point or another.

The Pilot - He is like the Prince, except he's all grown up. Here, we see what was once childlike, and how the world has molded him, with all the cynics and the doubters and all that. There is the fear, the doubt, the need to attend to what are "matters of consequence," but there is still that child gently knocking at the door.

The Snake - People who offer "an easy way out." We all should be wary of them.

The King - People who believe the world must revolve around themselves, and see that what they say goes. They are proud, and are in denial of their own shortcomings.

The Vain Man - People who demand the attention and admiration of others, particularly because there's really nothing special about them. They seek this attention because of that.

The Businessman - People who see the world as nothing but means to an end. Everything's something to be won, bought or traded in their eyes. Their primary goal is to look out for themselves first.

The Drunkard - People who cannot move on from their own self-pity. They seek some kind of solace by running away from their problems instead of facing them down.

The Lamplighter - People driven with by a sense of duty, by a sense of doing the greater good, but leave nothing for themselves. They burn out. They give and give, but leave nothing for themselves.

The Geographer - People who are too lazy to do work for themselves. They are also the biggest skeptics; they'll never believe unless they see proof. They do not explore and discover things for themselves, but would rather have somebody else do that for them. There is no wonder in their lives.

The Rose - People we love, but don't know how to return the love. That's not to say they don't love you. They just are, perhaps, too proud. They know how to take the love, but giving is difficult. They make our lives wonderful, but painful all the same.

The Fox - People who teach us what really matters. People who come and disappear in our lives, and leave impressions forever. They love you, and you love them, no matter how different you are.


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And all
I am
is grateful for the stars
which are you
when they shine
oh they shine oh they shine
oh they shine
in my sky...
-Stars, HYP